417: D-rank adventure quest

Shang Wan Ning lifted her eyelids. "Sorry, I just spent my last copper coin."

The mercenary spat and turned back to continue pressuring Therese. "No money? Then put up that longbow of yours as collateral."

Therese looked up abruptly, a flash of panic in her emerald eyes. "In your dreams!"

"Do you think you have a choice?"

Just as a filthy hand was about to grab the longbow, Shang Wan Ning suddenly spoke up. "How much does she owe?"

The mercenaries at the table all looked over in unison.

The burly leader grinned, revealing yellow teeth. "The Little Priestess wants to play the hero and save the beauty? She owes us ten silver coins."

Shang Wan Ning put down the half-eaten apple and pulled a small bottle from her linen bag.

A pale golden liquid sloshed inside the glass bottle, shimmering in the dim light. "This bottle of basic potion is worth fifteen silver coins," she said calmly, causing the entire tavern to fall silent for a moment. "Is that enough to settle the debt?"

The mercenaries' eyes lit up.

A basic potion was worth at least twenty silver coins on the market; this deal was a guaranteed profit.

The burly leader snatched the potion and waved Therese away. "Consider yourself lucky."

The farce ended, and the mercenaries dispersed with boisterous laughter.

Therese walked unsteadily to Shang Wan Ning's table, her brow furrowed. "I don't need your pity. I'll pay you back those ten silver coins."

"I'm not pitying you." Shang Wan Ning handed her a fresh apple. "I brewed the potion myself; the cost was less than three silver coins."

The Half-Elf froze, not taking the apple.

"Sit down." Shang Wan Ning pointed to the empty seat opposite her. "You're blocking my light."

Therese hesitated for a moment but sat down anyway.

She stared at Shang Wan Ning for a long time, her emerald eyes filled with conflict.

If not for this strange girl today, she probably wouldn't have been able to keep the longbow she cherished like her own life.

"Why did you help me?" she finally asked again, her voice raspy.

"Like I said, I like the look of you." Shang Wan Ning met her gaze candidly.

Before long, the tavern's wooden door was kicked open with a bang. The group of mercenaries from before had returned, their leader's face ashen as he clutched the small potion bottle.

"You little brat, how dare you trick us with fake potion?"

The attention of the entire tavern focused on them once again.

Shang Wan Ning unhurriedly swallowed the last bite of her apple. "How is it fake?"

"This isn't a healing potion at all. The wound on my brother's hand hasn't healed one bit." The burly man grabbed the hand of a thin mercenary behind him; a fresh cut indeed showed no signs of healing.

Shang Wan Ning's gaze swept over the black mist at the edge of the wound. She looked up and replied clearly, "When did I ever say it was a healing potion?"

The burly man was stunned.

"This is a purification solvent used for exorcism." Shang Wan Ning pointed to the thin mercenary's hand. "Isn't the black mist on his hand already fading to almost nothing?"

"Did you touch something unclean in a tomb this morning? I can feel a trace of chilling aura even from this far away."

The mercenary's face turned pale. He quickly pulled his hand back and looked at the burly man, stammering, "Boss... I, I was indeed at the old cemetery on the west side of the city this morning... to relieve myself, and I leaned against an old tombstone..."

The crowd erupted in an uproar.

The burly man's expression shifted. Finally, he glared fiercely at Shang Wan Ning as if trying to memorize her face. "Let's go." With that, he led his men away in a hurry.

The tavern returned to its noisy state.

Therese looked at Shang Wan Ning with a complex expression. "You..."

Shang Wan Ning wiped her fingers clean and looked at Therese. "What you need isn't a few silver coins, but a chance to accept and complete a D-rank quest again, isn't it?"

Therese shuddered, eyeing her warily. "What do you mean?"

"Tomorrow you're going to the Mist Shadow Forest to gather moonlight grass; it's a D-rank quest." Shang Wan Ning spoke in a matter-of-fact tone.

She had noticed at the Guild earlier that this quest was the only newly posted D-rank quest today that was suitable for an archer and offered decent pay. Given Therese's situation, she was likely to take the risk and accept it alone.

"Going alone, even if you can complete it, the risk is very high. You need a partner—for instance, a priestess who can identify medicinal herbs and occasionally provide some 'special solvents'."

Therese remained silent for a long time, her fingers rubbing the rough tabletop. The girl before her possessed a level of composure and insight that didn't match her apparent age.

She truly had no other choice.

"A thirty-seventy split of the reward," Therese said hoarsely. "Seventy for me, thirty for you."

Shang Wan Ning stood up, her presence not backing down an inch.

"Deal."

"Tomorrow morning at six, meet at the town entrance." After saying this, Therese picked up the untouched apple from the table and walked away quickly, her back straight and looking a bit less isolated than before... The morning mist of Chisong Town had not yet fully dispersed, the air thick with the scent of damp vegetation and soil.

At the town entrance, Therese was already waiting. The Half-Elf's lithe figure appeared exceptionally clear amidst the hazy mist. Seeing Shang Wan Ning approach, she gave a brief nod.

"Let's go."

The two of them, one after the other, silently set foot on the path leading to the Mist Shadow Forest.

Shang Wan Ning was still wearing that worn linen dress, playing the part of a fledgling, somewhat timid Little Priestess.

"The moonlight grass quest—how did you know?" After walking for a distance and confirming no one was around, Therese suddenly spoke, her emerald eyes filled with scrutiny.

Shang Wan Ning waved her wooden staff, her tone natural. "Yesterday at the Guild, I saw you staring at that newly posted D-rank quest sheet for a long time."

"Combined with your situation, I guessed."

Therese pursed her lips, not denying it.

"Gathering moonlight grass isn't the hardest part; the difficulty lies with its guardian, the Halo Jellyfish. They live in colonies by the Moonlight Lake. Their tentacles carry a neuroparalytic toxin, and the light orbs they fire can cause blindness. Moreover..." She paused. "Their perception is unique; they are especially sensitive to strong malice and mana fluctuations."

"Sounds tricky," Shang Wan Ning agreed, though she already understood.

No wonder Therese hadn't dared to take it alone before; dealing with such a social, perceptive magical creature was indeed taxing for an archer.

"Stay close to me and suppress your presence. I hope your 'good luck' continues." Therese gave her one last look before leading the way into the heavy shadows of the Mist Shadow Forest.

The light inside the forest dimmed suddenly as towering ancient trees obscured the sky, with only scattered patches of light projected onto the thick layer of humus.

Glowing spores floated in the air, and the cries of unknown magic beasts could occasionally be heard in the distance.

Therese displayed superb forest skills, her steps light as she skillfully avoided tangled roots and lurking venomous vines.

Shang Wan Ning followed seemingly clumsily, but in reality, every step landed in the safest spot. Her divine sense had already spread out, taking in everything within a radius of several miles.

Including the few "little bugs" quietly following behind.

After walking for about half an hour, Therese suddenly stopped and crouched down, her fingertips brushing over a faint mark on a shrub.